Molding apparatus



Aug. 19, 19,47. c. ROZANEK MOLDING APPARATUS Filed May 12, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet l FIG.

INVENTOR G. ROZANEK A TTORA/E v A Aug. 19, 1947.

2 snets-sneet 2 70V 39 57 35 56 27 /O A 7 W 40 3 FIG. 4

v lNl/KNTOR C. ROZANEK ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE MOLDING APPARATUS Charles Rozanek, Baltimore, Md.,assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. 31., acorporation of New York Application May 12, 1945, Serial No. 593,503

7 Claims. 1 This invention relates to molding apparatus and has for itsobject the provision of new and improved molding apparatus.

A molding apparatus constituting one embodiment of the inventionincludes a pair of companion mold sections having complementary moldingrecesses formed therein for molding a mass of material into a jacketover a core of a predetermined configuration, and a gauge block having aportion thereof complementary in shape to the shape of a core positionedin the recess for orienting the core with respect to the recess.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from thefollowing detailed description of a moldin apparatus forming oneembodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings,in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a mold sectionforming a part of a mold embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical section of the mold taken along line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical section of the mold taken along line3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical section of the mold taken along line lof Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, top plan view of an article molded in the mold.

Referring noW in detail to the drawings, there i shown therein a moldIll (Fig. 3), which includes an upper mold section I l and a lower moldsection 52 secured to a base plate It. The upper mold section isprovided with a molding recess 95, and the lower mold section has amolding recess it; formed therein, to the molding recess l5. tions aremoved together form a molding cavity.

The mold it is designed to mold masses 20-2!) made of insulatingmaterial into an insulating block M (Fig. 5) over individually insulatedconductors 2222 (Fig. 1) of a jacketed cord 24, a male terminal 25, afemale snap-on terminal 2? a spacer block to (Fig. 2), whereby a plug 28is formed. The upper mold section II is provided with a groove 3| (Fig.3) and the lower mold section is provided with a groove 32, which form apassage fitting snugly around the cord 24 when the upper and lower moldsections are in molding relationship, at which time they abut eachother.

A gauge block 37 of a floating gauge slidably in a guideway 36 in thelower mold section l2 and bears against a surface 35 formed in the uppermold section H. The gauge block is When the mold seethe molding recesseswhich is complementary removable from the guideway 36 and is of suchlength that its ends abut a surface 39 formed on the mold section I land the base plate l3 when the upper mold section and the lower moldsection are in molding relationship. At this time a tapered projectionill on the gauge block is centered with respect to the molding cavityformed by the molding recesses I5 and I6, and it serves to form acup-shaped cavity 4| (Fig. 5) in the plug 28.

A bushing 42 (Fig. 3) fits in a socket 44 formed in the gauge block 31and serves to fit snugly over a cylindrical portion 45 of the terminal26. The bushing 52, together with'a dummy female snap-on terminaI 46,serves to properly position the terminal 25 with respect to the moldingrecesses l5 and H3. The dummy terminal 45 is secured in a bore 41 formedin the gauge block 31 by a screw 55 threaded into a tapped bore 5|formed in the gauge block. The screw serves to press a shoulder 52 ofthe terminal 46 against a bottom 55 of the tapped bore 5|. The maleterminal 25 may be inserted through the bushing t2 and locked therein bythe dummy. female snapon terminal at, whereby the terminal 26 isproperly oriented with respect to the floating gauge 38.

A bushing 56 (Fig. 4) positioned in a socket 5? formed in the gaugeblock 31 serves to receive a cylindrical portion 59 ofthe terminal 21 toorient the terminal 2'! with respect to the floating gauge 58. A dummymale terminal 6i serves to engage the female snap-on terminal 21 and tohold the terminal 21 against accidental longitudinal, lateral or angularmovement thereof. A screw 55 fitted into a tapped bore 66 formed in thegauge block 31 serves to press a shoulder 61 formed on the dummyterminal 5! against a bottom ill of the bore 66.

In the operation of the mold It), the floating gauge 38 is removed fromthe guideway 36 of the mold section l2. The male terminal 26 then isinserted into the bushing 42 and is locked therein by the dummy femalesnap-on terminal 45, and the female snap-on terminal 21 is insertedsimultaneously therewith into the bushing 55 and into interlockingengagement with the dummy male terminal 6!. One of the masses 25-26 isthen placed in the molding recess it, the floating gauge then isinserted into the guideway 35, and the cord 24 is laid in the groove 32.The other mass 20 then is laid upon the terminals 25 and 21.

The mold sections H and I2 then are pressed together by suitable means,such as a hydraulic or air press (not shown), and when they are sopressed, the gauge block 31 is held in abutting relationship with thesurface 39 and the base plate 13. At this time the projection 40 formedon the gauge block 31 is centrally located with respeet to the moldingrecesses l5 and i6 and serves therewith to form the molding cavity. Themold i is heated by suitable heating means, such as heated platens :(notshown), and the masses 20-20 of insulating material are molded into theinsulating block 21 (Fig. The mold sections I I and I2 then areseparated, the floating gauge is withdrawn therefrom, after which theterminals 26 and 21 are pulled out of interlocking engagement with theterminals 46 and GI, respectively, and the bushings 42 and 55,respectively. The molding operation described hereinabove then may berepeated to mold another insulatin block identical with insulating block2|.

A second floating gauge (not shown) identical with the floating gauge 38may be provided for alternate use with the gauge 38. If it is soprovided, one of the floating gauges may be loaded while the other isbeing used in a molding operation. After this molding operation iscompleted, the last-mentioned floating gauge is removed from the mold l0and the just loaded floating gauge is placed therein so that the nextmolding operation may be started before unloading the removed floatinggauge.

The mold I0 serves to properly orient terminals, such as the terminals26 and 21 with respect to the molding recesses and [6 so that theinsulating blocks similar to the insulating block 25 (Fig. 5) properlycover the terminals. The terminals similar to the terminals 26 and 27may be correctly oriented with respect to the mold It simply by snappingthem into the bushings 42 and 56 and into engagement with the dummyterminals 46 and 6 I, and inserting the floating gauge into thegu'ideway 36. Thus, the mold ill facilitates the insertion of terminals26 and 21 therein. Likewise, terminals 26 and 21 may be easily removedfrom the mold l0 after the insulating block 2| has been moldedtherearound.

The floating gauge 38 may be adapted to fasten securely terminals oftypes or sizes other than the terminals 26 and 21 simply by substitutingbushings and dummy terminals complementary to the substituted terminalsfor the bushings 42 and 56 and the dummy terminals Q5 and GI. Also, thebushings 42 and 55 and the dummy terminals 46 and 6! may be removedeasily from the gauge block 31 for maintenance purposes.

If it is so desired, a plurality of molding recesses and guideways maybe formed in the mold ill, and a plurality of floating gauges insertedtherein to adapt the mold to mold severa1 insulating blocks at eachoperation thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a molding apparatus, a pair of relatively movable mold sectionshaving complementary molding recesses formed therein for molding a massof material over a connector, and a gauge mounted in floatingrelationship with respect to the die sections and provided with asnap-on dummy connector complementary to the firstmentioned connectorfor receiving it to orientit with respect to the recesses.

2. In a molding apparatus, a pair of companion mold sections havingcomplementary molding recesses formed therein for molding a mass ofmaterial over a male snap-on connector, and a gauge mounted in floatingrelationship with respect to the mold sections and provided with a dummyfemale snap-on connector for receiving the male snap-on connector toorient it with respect to the molding recesses.

3. In a molding apparatus, a pair of companion mold sections havingcomplementary molding recesses formed therein for molding a mass ofmaterial over a female snap-on connector, and a gauge having a dummymale snap-on connector for fitting into the female snap-on connector toorient it with respect to the molding recesses.

4. In a molding apparatus, a pair of relatively movable mold sections.having complementary molding recesses formed therein for molding a massof material over a core having a pair of cylindrical projections, and agauge having a pair of sockets formed therein for receiving the pair ofcylindrical portions of the core to secure the core in an orientedposition with respect to the recesses.

5. In a molding apparatus, a pair of mold sections having complementarymolding recesses formed therein and one of said mold sections beingprovided with a guideway, said mold sections being movable into moldingrelationship, a floating gauge mounted slidably in the guideway andhaving projecting therefrom a dummy terminal of a snap-on type forengaging a terminal of a snap-on type to position the terminal in themolding recesses, said floating gauge being held in abutment with theend of the guideway and a surface on the complementary mold section whenthe mold sections are in molding relationship.

6. In a molding apparatus, a mold section having a molding recess formedtherein and also provided with a guideway positioned at an end of themolding recess and extending transversely thereto, a second mold sectionmovable toward and away from the first-mentioned mold section andprovided with a molding recess complementary to the first-mentionedmolding recess, a removable gauge block slidably mounted in saidguideway and having a pair of sockets formed therein, a pair of bushingspositioned in the sockets, a female dummy terminal positioned in one ofthe sockets, and a male dummy terminal positioned in the other of thesockets.

'7. In a molding apparatus, a pair of relatively movable mold sectionshaving complementary molding recesses formed therein for molding a massof material over a member, and a gauge mounted in floating relationshipwith respect to the die sections and provided with a detachable dummyelement complementary to the first mentioned member for receiving it toorient it with respect to the recesses.

CHARLES ROZANEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I

